Drivers' education plays an important role in saving lives of not just a few but many Americans all around the world it's a resource that not many may have readily accessible to them, but I would strongly encourage everyone to seek out not only an opportunity to learn but to also to enhance the safety of our roads. 42,514 people die each year because of driving. 42,514 don't get to go back home after going out. 42,514 people die because of something most people do every day with no worry in the world. 116 people a day 5 people every hour 1 person every 15 minutes. The best way to combat this horrific death toll is to educate safer driving to those who haven't been educated. We may not think when we go on a drive that it could be the last, it may not be your fault but due to someone else's mistake you won't be going home. Fortunately, my schooling provided me with a driver's education program that taught me the basics on road safety. But I have also been around and rode along with those who have unsafe driving habits. I have experienced the loss of not one but two of my peers due to reckless driving. Some steps we can all be taking to drive safer are staying focused on the road. 1.6 million crashes each year are directly linked with usage of cell phones while driving. 14% of fatal crashes are due to cell phones being used while driving it is a simple easy thing we can all fix and I believe almost everyone is guilty of using their phones while driving we get a buzz and want to see who texted us, we want to switch our songs on the radio in that moment you have no clue what's going on around you anything can happen and while many of us fortunately nothing happens we go on driving and everything is okay are we still taking that gamble every time we drive risking taking another life on the roads. The text message you just got can wait until another time when it's safe to reply. In 2022 there were 33 people a day losing their lives due to speeding. 29% of all motor vehicle related fatalities were due to speeding. We have laws set in place speed limits on roads that help the drivers know not only what a safe speed is for them but also for those around them. 32% of fatal motor vehicle accidents are due to drunk drivers. Thats 13,524 deaths alone due to a reckless driver. In 2024 we have so many accessible ways to get a ride so you can avoid taking these risks such as the apps Uber or Lyft who provide you with a ride so you can still make it home after getting intoxicated. There is also always asking a friend or family member to be you designated driver or pick you up we all have cell phones about all of us have someone we can contact that will come make sure me get home in a safe manner and not risk the lives of those around us. Every state other than New Hampshire requires by law to wear a seat belt when driving. While 92% of motorists indicate that they use a seat belt while driving about 13,000 lose their lives due to not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. Let's talk about odds now you have a 1 in 93 chance of dying in a car crash it is not high in comparison to heart disease which is 1 in 6 and cancer being 1 in 8, and the number is going down and down on fatal accidents per year. Many factors play into things such as car safety; we have over the years really cracked down on making cars safer in the case of an accident, now nothing will ever be 100% safe, it is a start to a safer future. Also in my opinion, drivers' safety has been more and more accessible to the public than ever before. This has resulted in decreasing fatalities across the country. I would like to end off with saying that there are so many small steps we can take for a safer future for not only ourselves but to set the stone for generations to come to be safer while driving many kids pick up these habits from watching their parents drive so next time you're traveling put the phone down and enjoy the drive we can all work together to make the roads just a little safer.